It's Always Easy Part 4
by xxxwhateverxxx
Summary: Rue/Zak


Rue wasn't sure why, but she was listening to California King Bed. It reminded her of Zak. For some reason she missed him. Missed him terribly. Even after getting herself all worked up at the restaurant and on the way home and talking to Trish, she woke up and her chest just ached.

"You shouldn't be missing him. He was always such a douche." Trish had said insensitively when Rue had told her what had happened last night.

"He was a douche, wasn't he?" Rue had replied. But maybe now that he was a little bit older he would be better…

The song ended, and Rue's thoughts did too. She flipped her iPod off. There was no time to run back to exes. Even if your ex was a rich, passionate man like Zak. It just wasn't done unless you wanted to be perceived as a weak woman.

She and Trish left that day to do some shopping. Anything to get her mind off of what had happened. Rue left her phone at home, simply because she had Zak's number (she could never bring herself to get rid of it, finding it might be valuable some day)and she didn't want to be tempted.

Sadly, when she returned late at night, she still hadn't shaken off how his hands against her skin had felt.

Trish had suggested she find someplace else to stay, or, face her fears and go back to the hotel and stay there. Rue knew she wanted her house to herself, so she planned on returning, perhaps getting a room on a different floor. _Now that Zak's in my room… MY room… _Rue furrowed her brows. That was so frustrating.

She got up off of Trish's worn out couch and went to get her phone off the dining room table. One new text. Rue figured it was one of her friends sending their grief (by now everyone one of her friends knew about Zak Bagans), but what she saw shocked her.

_Rue, I think we should talk. Yes, I still have your number. Text me back._

-Zak-

He waited nervously for her to walk into the hotel lobby. They had arranged via-text that they would meet tomorrow morning. It had been hard to get away from the guys, but he knew he couldn't be what the world wanted him to be as long as he had Rue around. He needed to end things officially, to part ways on good terms, if he was ever to get peace of mind.

Zak turned up the music to highest it could on his iPod, he wanted to drown out everything.

Just then he saw a slim form make it's way through the crowd of travelers and stop nervously before him. Rue.

Her hair was long and flowing, and her large blue eyes were staring at him. Her face was carefully guarded. "Hello."

"Ruth." he smiled.

"Wearing your glasses, I see." Rue commented.

"Yes, I like them." Zak loved his glasses. What the hell? They were badass.

"I know."

Zak got up off his chair and towered above her. They might as well get right to the point. Without a word, they both walked outside the hotel and to the side, where hopefully, no one would notice them talking. A man and woman. Or, rather, a girl and a man.

Rue crossed her arms and stared up at him. "What do you want me to say?"

"Excuse me?" Zak said, surprised. Her face was determined.

"What do you want me to say? To make you feel better." Rue grabbed the ends of her hair nervously, something she had always done. He had loved that habit of hers. Did she realize that?

"No, I should apologize. For cheating on you… and stuff." Zak murmured. He couldn't believe he was apologizing to someone. "And being so obsessed about my documentary. But, look where it's gotten me." Zak gestured to himself.

Rue bit her lip. Goddamn. "You and your friends were always nice to me, and when you weren't there, Aaron was, or Nick. So you can cross out loneliness."

Zak's mind screamed: WHAT? And that's exactly what he said.

Rue's eyes got huge when she realized what it had sounded like. "No, no. I mean, we spent time - I mean…" she stuttered to a stop. "Never mind."

Zak shrugged. "It was a jerk-ish, oh, what the hell, it was a bastard-ish thing to do, cheating on someone like you." he really meant it. Why had he done that anyway? Because Rue wouldn't take his line of bull?

"It's alright." Rue smiled, "We aren't together anymore, I can't see why we're even talking. It's been five years, and a healthy person would be over it."

Yes, this was true. A healthy person would be over this. But Zak had never been quite healthy. How could he be, when he spent most of days chasing demons?

"We had some good times together though." he pressed, "I just wanted to make sure you don't hate me, that you don't have the same opinion of me that you had five years ago."

"No, Zachary, I don't hate you." Rue said softly, earnestly. She reached out her hand, then grabbed it back with the other hand.

Amazing, what a small woman could do to him, Zak realized. "We're like two school kids." he smiled. Rue smiled.

"I just can't stand your ego." Rue admitted, "That's all. I can't stand how you talk about paranormal things. I don't like those things."

"I know." Zak said. She was dressed so attractively. He could see just a little bit of her cleavage. Small cleavage, but it was _Rue's _cleavage. No one really had shit on Rue, he thought.

"I'm glad we had this talk." Rue said, obviously trying to wrap up, "We can part on good terms." she really seemed to be forcing what she was saying.

She turned away. She was turning away! Zak panicked, he wanted her to stay. He wanted to talk to her more. He didn't want to leave just yet.

"Wait!" he said, and grabbed her shoulder. Rue wasn't expecting it, and she jerked forward, jerked backwards, tried to turn around. Zak tried to balance her, but it was no use, she slipped and fell in a large puddle off the side of the road.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" Zak cried. She was covered in wet water and mud. She groaned and helped herself up.

"Shit, Rue, I'm sorry." he breathed as he grabbed her hand. Rue shook it off.

"Let me take you up to my room, you can dry off." her clothes were muddy and soaked, and her teeth were already chattering, despite the heat.

"No!" Rue said firmly.

"Yes!" Zak insisted, God, he felt bad… and stupid too. "You're soaked."

Rue shook her head, but with Zak insisting, she had no choice. She followed him back into the hotel. She seemed to ignore the stares of the strangers. And on the way up to the elevator, there was complete silence.

Zak wasn't exactly sure what was going on anymore.


End file.
